70+ applicants sign up for Johns Creek city manager job

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – City Manager John Kachmar officially steps down March 1 in the negotiated settlement of his contract, but city officials have been busy gathering resumes to fill the top leadership position of city staff. To that end, the city has collected more than 70 applications, according to Mayor Mike Bodker.

Kachmar had the highest salary among North Fulton city managers at the time of his separation.

Bodker will nominate a new candidate – no date certain has been announced – and that nomination will have to be ratified by City Council.

At the Feb. 24 City Council meeting, Bodker appointed Finance Director Monte Vavra to be the interim city manager until a permanent city manager is found.

“We are getting pretty far along in the process. I am working with Johns Creek Human Resources Director Mary Ann Haskins to evaluate the candidates,” Bodker said. “We will endeavor to find the best candidate we can from among the applications.”

The new city manager will receive compensation commensurate with the winning candidate’s abilities and experience. The top salary range is capped at $209,000.

With the flurry of new metro cities created, the cost of hiring experienced administrators is going up, Bodker said.

“You are in essence bidding for talent in a lot of cases. And the base salary is not always a true indicator of the total compensation package. Sometimes, the [hiree] wants to defer some of the salary through the retirement package,” Bodker said.

“It will be a thorough search,” he said. “Obviously, we want to get the best person for the job we can find.”

When Bodker has selected a candidate, it must then be ratified by a majority of the City Council.

Community Relations and Communications Director Grant Hickey will replace Kachmar as the city’s representative on the Chatt-Comm emergency 911 board.